Department of Natural Science
Edgewood College
Madison, Wisconsin
Edgewood College's Rain Garden Project
Rain gardens reduce water pollution while beautifying the landscape. Rain
gardens are "bioretention" systems, alternative stormwater management
practices that use natural processes to increase the infiltration of
rainwater into the ground and remove potentially harmful pollutants.
With its close proximity to Lake Wingra, Edgewood College is planting rain
gardens in areas with standing water in order to reduce the amount of
pollution running into the lakes. Research has shown that over half of lake
pollution is caused by local residents landscape practices and not by
agriculture. Rain gardens are an easy way to help curb this statistic.
| Number | Location (click for photos) | Size | Year Built | Plant Lists |
| 1 | Front of Campus School | 1500 sq. ft. | 2000-01 | Plants in Rain Garden 1 |
| 2 | Edgewood Drive Shady Swale | 600 sq. ft. | 2001 | Plants in Rain Garden 2 |
| 3 | Front of Sonderegger Science Center | 458 sq. ft. | April 2002 | Plants in Rain Garden 3 |
| 4 | NE Corner of Edgedome | 46 sq. ft. | June 2002 | Plants in Rain Garden 4 |
| 5 | NW Corner of Edgedome | 62 sq. ft. | July 2002 | Plants in Rain Garden 5 |
| 6 | SW Corner of Edgedome | 75 sq. ft. | April 2003 | Plants in Rain Garden 6 |
*Please note that all rain garden sizes are approximate and may vary slightly.